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SBU | Life > Experiences

Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone And Onto the Mountain

Ella McIntyre Student Contributor, St. Bonaventure University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Growing up as someone who did not identify herself with any religion, choosing a religious school and participating in events through the university ministries was a nerve-wracking experience. Don’t get me wrong, there are still times when I am terrified my lack of religious knowledge will become blatantly obvious and people will scream out “she’s a fraud!” even if I’ve never claimed to have any religious sort of background. 

Now, having been at St. Bonaventure for the past three years, although I still won’t claim a religion, I have found myself more comfortable in religious settings than I ever have anywhere else in my life before. Specifically, going up to the mountain. For anyone who does not know, the Mountain (Mt. Irenaeus) is a section of land about thirty minutes away from campus. The mountain community hosts students for evenings away, overnights, and Sunday mass at a chapel on the grounds. 

As someone who grew up in a house surrounded by trees, going to the Mountain reminds me a lot of my physical home address. It was comforting to feel like my house moved with me as I adapted to the place I would call home for a good portion of the year in Olean, NY, especially when I visited for the first time for a women’s overnight in my freshman spring year. I had an amazing time and felt most of my discomfort and worries about being in a new place fall away so that I could make new connections with women who were there overnight. 

Ever since, I’ve loved getting the opportunity to go up to the Mountain. I usually drive myself and a few friends up to the Mountain, but I have adapted to feeling comfortable driving up with others in the Mountain vehicles. I must say the trip up to the Mountain in the Mountain vehicles is just the perfect amount of conversation and connection for perfect strangers to be able to connect before arriving at the Mountain and meeting a larger group of students. 

Recently, I was asked to be a Mountain Community Leader. Since I accepted, it has been an even more beautiful, fun, and growing experience for me. I enjoy the physical location of Mt. Irenaeus, and also the mission of Mountain Community Leaders bringing the Mountain’s vision and values back to campus. I have put myself slightly out of my comfort zone, which is exciting, scary, and useful as I go into my clinical block semester, where I’m observing for a short period of time and building up into teaching over the course of the semester. I’m also learning that I have increased my ability to reassure myself that “yes, I did just raise my hand and volunteer myself to help lead an activity or event,” “it will also all be okay,” and “there’s no need to panic, you got this.” As someone who was known for being very shy, quiet, and reserved, this is a transformation she never saw coming. I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Ella McIntyre

SBU '27

Ella is a member of the St. Bonaventure Her Campus Chapter. She plans on writing pieces that cover music, literature, TV and Movies, and the happenings of her life here at SBU.

Ella is a junior Inclusive Adolescent Education and English double Major. She enjoyed doing New Visions Education during her senior year of high school, which gave her a small experience of observing middle and high school classrooms. She has enjoyed exploring all of the clubs and opportunities SBU has to offer, and continues to do so by joining Her Campus, volunteering at the SPCA, as a member of the Bonaventure Education Association (BEA, and SGA representative for SBU for Equality and SBU College Democrats.

Outside of classes and Her Campus, Ella can be found studying, reading, or outside soaking up the sun (whenever it’s an option to “photosynthesize”). Ella also loves chatting with friends as a part of her not-so-quick study breaks.